Lies they teach you in HIstory class

[lostclause]

Ok this is kinda bad with out of context quoting but just to check your facts neither Stalin or ever "owned" they occupied certain parts of it for certain times but they never owned or ruled or governed over it.

Also Communism and Socialism are 2 completely different things that would be a lie some people are either taught or have come to believe.

Agreed on the second point though they are often used interchangeably by all sides.
On the first: They pretty much ruled it in all but name. They put up the Berlin wall and stopped Czechoslovakia from taking part in the Marshall Aid Plan (when Czechoslovakia refused there was a Soviet lead coup). Twice the USSR lead an invasion into the Warsaw Pact nations to prevent them reverting from communism.

 

[Elivercury]

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

are you serious? USA is alot more arrogant now, its like you guys think that a war doesn't start until you join it.

Well I can sorta understand why people say that. Aside from the fact that the USA didn't join until 1941.

You could argue that, until the USA began fighting in the east, it wasn't a 'world war' that included all of the worlds contents.

Does Canada not count? They were in it pretty much from the getgo. And i'm pretty sure they're in North America.

 

[Pseudonym2]

Every American student should read Lies My Teacher Told Me.

Some (but not all) of ones I was taught.
1 Native American's bought Manhattan Island for a few beads. Technically true but the people who sold the land didn't own it.

2 Native American's didn't understand the idea of owning land. Some tribes owned land as tribe, not as individuals. They still knew they were cheating the other tribe.

3 Native Americans could not adopt to a western lifestyle. Many of adapt fine and even built Victorian mansions. That didn't stop Andrew Jackson from kicking them out though.

4 Thomas Jefferson bought a lot of land from Napoleon in the Louisiana purchase.
Napoleon didn't own the land. He just sold the right to invade it. The people living there didn't get a choice.


The fifth and biggest lie is lie of progress. In the 1860's blacks were slaves, the 14th amendment allowed the to vote, and in 1964 they outlawed segregation. This is assumed to mean that if we just sit back and relax, racism will fix itself.

Slavery only ended because of thousands of abolitionists and solders, and the 14th amendment and the Civil Rights act were only passed because of millions of protesters demanded it. Authority will never make any sort of progress without being forced to.

 

[Danzaivar]

Well I hear that in American schools they teach that World War 2 started with Pearl Harbour in 1941. I'm not sure what they think the two years prior was when hundreds of thousands of people died, but hey.

 

[Diablini]

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (31 but I could easily be wrong about that)

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

 

[bodyklok]

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

are you serious? USA is alot more arrogant now, its like you guys think that a war doesn't start until you join it.

Well I can sorta understand why people say that. Aside from the fact that the USA didn't join until 1941.

You could argue that, until the USA began fighting in the east, it wasn't a 'world war' that included all of the worlds contents.

Does Canada not count? They were in it pretty much from the getgo. And i'm pretty sure they're in North America.

As I said. War in the east.

And no, Canada doesn't count. Why? Because I hate them.(That was a joke)

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Ok this is kinda bad with out of context quoting but just to check your facts neither Stalin or ever "owned" they occupied certain parts of it for certain times but they never owned or ruled or governed over it.

Also Communism and Socialism are 2 completely different things that would be a lie some people are either taught or have come to believe.

Agreed on the second point though they are often used interchangeably by all sides.
On the first: They pretty much ruled it in all but name. They put up the Berlin wall and stopped Czechoslovakia from taking part in the Marshall Aid Plan (when Czechoslovakia refused there was a Soviet lead coup). Twice the USSR lead an invasion into the Warsaw Pact nations to prevent them reverting from communism.

Yes they did run a lot in the eastern european countries but on the other side of the berlin wall they did not govern anything.

 

[Faps]

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (31 but I could easily be wrong about that)

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

He was elected Chancellor in '33 but didn't gain his real power until he became Führer in '34

 

[Diablini]

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (31 but I could easily be wrong about that)

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

He was elected Chancellor in '33 but didn't gain his real power until he became Führer in '34

Touché.

 

[gh0ti]

I am trying to compile a list of lies or misinformation they teach you in History class. So far this doesn't even apply to current events which would make this list far more interesting. Do you have any you think you want to add or any rebuttals. Also note for those in other countries, this is written from an American perspective.
Lie #1
Communism and Fascism are opposites. The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality. In fact the Nazis were the National Socialist German Worker'S Party.
Lie #2
Europe was better under Stalin than Hitler. The fact is Stalin was responsible for more deaths in Europe than Hitler was.
Lie #3
Inflation is a natural process of the Economy. The truth is inflation can be avoided or at the very least minimized if the Government didn't continue to over mint money and if we actually had money that was backed by something.
Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

From a British perspective:

Lie #1 - My Year 10 (ages 14-15) history teacher said the same thing and encouraged us to think of the political spectrum more like a full circle than a semi. IE. Though Socialism and Fascism are at opposite ends of the spectrum, they have more in common with each other than the bits in the middle.

Lie #2 - One of my modules was Russian history, 1855-1953. No chance we didn't get told about the bad stuff Stalin got up to.

Lie #3 - True (ish, I'm not an economics buff), but some inflation is a good thing. If things cost more, companies make more money and pay their employees better, generating wealth.

Lie #4 - Again, we studied all the reasons behind the American Civil War, and were taught to interpret slavery as a bone of contention between the North and South that generated ill-feeling. This was way back in Year 9 (ages 13-14) though, so I'm sure we weren't taught this in great depth.

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (31 but I could easily be wrong about that)

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

He was elected Chancellor in '33 but didn't gain his real power until he became Führer in '34

The Chinese say WW2 started in 1937, and the Russians in 1941. It's pretty Eurocentric to claim a divine right to the 'true' start of WW2.

 

[lostclause]

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

Yes, a few people have said so now. I'll edit the original.

 

[Alex_P]

Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

You are unbelievably wrong about this.

"The Civil War was primarily about states' rights issues" is revisionist whitewashing introduced during America's disastrous early-1900s romance with the KKK.

The lead-up to the Civil War saw both sides flagrantly violating "states' rights" at every turn in order to push their own position on slavery.

Southern states were quite willing to use fugitive slave laws in order to force the return of escaped slaves. Clearly they valued the slaves over their "states' rights" doctrines.

People from all over the country flocked to Kansas to astroturf for their faction, giddily violating violating the actual "states' rights" aspects of the popular sovereignty doctrine in order to force their will upon Kansas.

Years before the Civil War, people were hacking each other to death with fucking swords over whether slavery would be established in the new state, and you really want to tell us that, no, the war happened for other reasons? Come on!

-- Alex

 

[PatientGrasshopper]

Paul Revere made it less then half way before he was caught by the Brits. The ride was completed by a doctor named Samuel Prescott. He was the person who warned Boston of the impending British attack.

Yes, this myth perpetuated by the popular poem we teach kids, hence no one hears of Samuel Prescott.

Um... yet another wrong. The civil war happened because the Southern states seceded. This happened because they were opposed to Lincoln's views. Which of Lincoln's views were they most opposed to? Slavery. They feared he would end it. They feared his other views more, but slavery was #1.

Actually, Lincoln was a moderate when it came to slavery. While he personally disliked slavery, he only wanted to prevent the spread of slavery across the Union, not dismantle it.

And state's rights were the underlying issue in the Civil War, a state's right to endose slavery and hold the right to nullify federal laws (Your can thank Jefferson for the that idea).

Yes, Lincoln as the Great emancipator can be another myth, and as much as I like Jefferson, his views on slavery were problematic.

1) how are Kentucky and Missouri "Northern states" all of a sudden?

2) just because a state didn't secede doesn't mean the people there didn't join one side or another

3) just because a state did secede doesn't mean that state wasn't politically divided either--see above about West Virgina and other internal divisions in the Confederacy that were about slavery.

and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

The 13th Amendment, however, did. In fact, Missouri ratified it a day faster than Massachusetts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution#Proposal_and_ratification

They are Northern states because they fought on the Union side.
I know certain people from some states would fight for the other side. Yes the 13th amendment did apply to them but it was separate from the proclamation,in fact in the South there were even those in power who were working to limit slavery.

Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

This I agree with, and I think it's pretty funny, actually. Yes, slavery was bad, yes, the "North" wanted to abolish it, yes, the "South" didn't. The main problem was that the South was under-represented or not given equal consideration. It was about legislation without representation. The slavery issue was a symptom of the cause. This is like how some people say that the revolutionary war was about tea taxes. It wasn't about tea taxes, it was about how the colonies had no say over the taxes imposed upon them. Taxation without representation. Really, the civil war is probably what would have happened if the colonies lost the revolutionary war.

The lie about the United States founded on Christianity, meh. I do agree with the point that Christians aren't the only people with morals. I think with the references in much of the founding fathers' literature, it's safe to assume that at least most of them were.

Related, separation of church and state. It does not mean that they should be completely removed one from the other, let alone always opposed. The point was to avoid a system where a church position came with a political postion, or vice-versa. Like the church of England King=Pope situation. It is so that a church figure cannot gain control of the government, or that a government figure can control a chruch (by virtue of the related positions). It doesn't mean that religious elements can't be observed in government.

Yes, and the whole separation of church and state is so missuesed. First of all the words never appear like that anywhere in the Constitution. There is the establishment clause of the first Amendment but people seem to overlook the part where it says, "nor prohibit the free practice thereof".

-Pertaining to #1-
In my Poli Sci classes, I was always taught that Fascism was the extreme right end of the scale and that communism was the extreme left. As to totalitarianism vs. anarchism, ok, imagine an X/Y grid intead of a continuum. Lika so....


Anarchism
I
I
I
I
Communism ---------------------------- Fascism
I
I
I
I
Totalitarianism

In this model, totalitarianism isn't exclusive to either. In their purest forms, communism is only concerned with the needs of the whole, fascism, the rights of the individual. Anarchism is the complete absence of governmental control. While totalitarianism is a government that has complete control of every facet of life.

Be gentle, the burn cream I pre-applied is only good for one or two flammings.


(Crap, my home made graph didn't work. Either way, I think you people catch my drift.)

Actually I do agree that the political spectrum is not linear and is more like a graph like you have drawn only shift them.

Anarchism
I
I
I
I
Liberal ---------------------------- Conservative
I
I
I
Communism IFascism
Totalitarianism

The Graph is messed up, and it's hard to place even in 2D

 

[ExodusinFlames]

American students are taught that the war of 1812 never happened. That is bullcrap, their whitehouse got burned down and they don't want to admit it.

Burned down twice actually. I have Canadian and US history textbooks to corroborate it. My brother went to school in Buffalo, NY. I lived on the other side of the border in Niagara Falls, Ont (parent split). When he showed me that "The majesty of the United States military has never lost an armed conflict" made me laugh, till I damned near wet myself. There were a few others but ... meh

Christopher Columbus didn't fucking discover North America. He thought he was in the Indies south of Asia. The first people from Europe to discover North America were the Vikings.

What about the Native Americans, I'd think they had a good "bead" on things. Yes, I'm aware that I'd be going to hell for that terrible joke, but I'm Metis, so I can get away with it a little.

 

[Nu-Hir]

Well I hear that in American schools they teach that World War 2 started with Pearl Harbour in 1941.

I'm an American and I've never heard of any school teaching this.

 

[Cxizent]

I love the sources that everyone is citing. They give their arguments strength and merit.

I also like how the OP is qualified in this field of study and not just a high school student who has all the answers to everything, ever.

 

[gh0ti]

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

That's surely just a technicality. The Armistice was signed in 1918. Since hostilities ended on that date, that's a more useful measure of when WW1 ended.

 

[systhicsfg]

American students are taught that the war of 1812 never happened. That is bullcrap, their whitehouse got burned down and they don't want to admit it.

Another lie, the War of 1812 didn't happen. During the war Canada burnt the white house to the ground, GO CANADA! Although the only reason we won was due to the fact that we, or more accurately Britain, exploited the Aboriginals. Still paying for that one.

A lie about lies: Americans don't know about the War of 1812/the burning of the White House--in fact, Americans are taught the lie that the White House was painted White to cover up the burn marks.

Also a lie: Canadians burned the White House. From everything I've read, the British burned the White House. They did it on request of the Canadians in retaliation for Americans burning York, but, it was the British according to anything I've ever read.

It was Nova Scotians under a British flag. So technically it was Canadians.